But young people are more tempted by the idea, and federalists should concentrate on narrowing that generation gap. In 1980, 40% of Quebecers voted to separate. Fifteen years later, 49% took that position in a second referendum. Fast forward 30 years, and the Parti Quebecois is promising a third referendum if they win the next election, a promise that is...
Alexander Stubb was in Ottawa to talk international relations with Mark Carney amid a shifting global order. Alexander Stubb has been called Europe’s "Trump whisperer" in some circles, but according to the Finnish president, that’s not quite accurate. "President Trump has very much his own mind. If I get one idea out of 10, I'm very happy, but quite rarely...
A former Bank of Canada governor is predicting Canada has about a 30 per cent chance of falling into a recession, amid growing global economic pressures. The ongoing war in the Middle East — with blockades in the Strait of Hormuz and damage to production facilities — is taking a striking toll on the global economy, sending fuel prices soaring...
Perhaps it was the widely cited speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, or maybe a so-called George Clooney-like swagger. Whatever it is, Prime Minister Mark Carney is finding himself in the international spotlight again, this time in the pages of Time magazine as part of its annual most influential people list. Championed by Christine Lagarde, president of the...
Despite wobbly French, an oil pipeline deal with Alberta and a recent speech on Canada’s colonial history that appeared to be wildly miscalculated, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s opponents grudgingly admit that – at least for now – he can do no wrong in Quebec. Mr. Carney is in many ways an unusual choice for a province not often moved by...
But young people are more tempted by the idea, and federalists should concentrate on narrowing that generation gap. In 1980, 40% of Quebecers voted to separate. Fifteen years later, 49% took that position in a second referendum. Fast forward 30 years, and the Parti Quebecois is promising a third referendum if they win the next election, a promise that is...
A new Liaison Strategies survey show Mayor Olivia Chow holding a 11-point lead among decided voters while Councillor Brad Bradford sees a significant surge in support, particularly among younger demographics. If a mayoral election were held today among decided and leaning voters, Olivia Chow would lead with 46% support, followed by Brad Bradford at 35% and Anthony Furey at 11%...
For two decades, Canada pursued a values-based foreign policy, although the values pursued by Liberal and Conservative governments were very different. Today, Canada is pursuing a more hardnosed foreign policy that puts Canada’s national interests front and centre. Putting Canada first, so to speak, has proved to be a far better approach. Of course, values and interests have always comingled...
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending her government's upcoming motion that, if passed, will establish a new commission to take another shot at redrawing provincial riding boundaries. Smith says the proposal to establish a new panel, that will reassess a previous bipartisan panel's recommendations on new boundaries, is about securing effective representation for rural Alberta. "Back in the olden days...
The strait will not be fully reopened “until America allows full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran,” Iranian military officials indicated. Iranian military officials said Saturday that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz have reverted to "strict control," citing the continued U.S. blockade of its ports, just one day after declaring the waterway “completely open.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney in March put the North at the centre of Canada’s economic and security agenda when he announced more than $40 billion of investments in defence, economic corridors and electrification in our Northern and Arctic region. Article content For the Northwest Territories, that commitment has begun to take shape with the referral of three nation-building projects to...
Where did this idea come from, of Canada joining the European Union? I know the Prime Minister likes to say that Canada is “the most European of the non-European countries,” whatever that means. (More European than, say, Argentina? Uruguay? New Zealand?) And sure, we’ve all joked about it, at least once, in the heat of Donald Trump’s latest outrage (“that’s...
As political weeks go, Prime Minister Mark Carney couldn’t have asked for a better one. Fresh from the Liberals’ convention where he was fêted as the party’s new Messiah, his candidates won all three byelections Monday by larger percentage margins than in last spring’s general election.
The Political Pulse panel breaks down Week 1 of the Liberals' majority government, and how opposition parties are responding.
When federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appeared on the popular right-wing American podcaster Joe Rogan’s show last month, many in his party were ecstatic with the result. Mr. Poilievre resisted his worst instincts, passing on invitations to dump on Prime Minister Mark Carney, fuel separatist sentiment in Alberta or indulge in the conspiracy theories being propagated by Mr. Rogan. Over...
The newly cobbled together majority government in the House of Commons has given the Liberal Party and Prime Minister Mark Carney more time and more leeway to peruse its far-reaching, extremely expensive “Build Canada” agenda. But the new alignment in the Commons has also changed the calculations of at least two of the three opposition parties. The majority created by...
There is a particular kind of political delusion that sets in after a loss. It is quiet. It hides behind familiar talking points. It feels like conviction, but it is really just refusal to accept reality. Too many Conservatives in this country are still running against Justin Trudeau. And it’s not really a strategy, it’s a combination of a putrid...
Coming off three byelection wins and a handful of floor-crossers, Prime Minister Carney is now armed with a newly minted majority government. The benefits of going from a minority to a majority for the government are quite clear. As the PM noted in a press conference earlier this week, a majority government will make for a much more substantive and...
The Liberals have their Majority Government. For the past few years, politics in Ottawa has been about counting votes, negotiating support between parties, and legislative gridlock. For Liberals it’s been about surviving, not thriving. That problem is now gone. It has been replaced by a new challenge: managing a diverse caucus. The Liberals no longer need opposition parties to stay...
I don’t know what the Conservatives’ path back to electoral relevance looks like. If I did, I might try to sell them the roadmap for a heap of money. I do have a strong hunch it won’t involve attacking the academic credentials of Prime Minister Mark Carney, he of the Liberals’ newly established majority government. That’s why it’s been so...
After this week’s byelection results, Carney’s governing Liberals will have more unchecked power. But the party has moved away from its old progressive politics
George W. Bush took up painting when he left the Oval Office in 2009. In 2014, he unveiled his first public exhibit, entitled “The Art of Leadership: A President’s Personal Diplomacy,” which featured portraits of world leaders he met during his time in office. The whole thing was sort of … odd. It wasn’t just that Mr. Bush’s portraits were...
With the flock of floor-crossers from the Conservative Party and the by-election results Monday, Mark Carney and company can remain in power until 2029. That will mark a 14-year stretch since Justin Trudeau’s dismantling of the Stephen Harper Conservatives in 2015. And who knows how much longer this run might extend. Ho hum, here we go again, another Liberal dynasty...
Last week, the Conservatives saw yet another Member of Parliament cross the floor to join Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals. Marilyn Gladu, the Sarnia, Ont.-area MP and—briefly—a former Conservative leadership candidate, was the one who made the move. Gladu, who had previously chastised fellow floor crossers and is someone seen as being a far-right leaning Conservative, was an unexpected departure...
“Unity,” said Mark Carney last weekend, “does not require uniformity.” Accommodation beats assimilation, the prime minister told the Liberal faithful at the party’s convention in Montreal — and partnership is better than domination.
The byelection results on Monday night in Terrebonne, Scarborough Southwest and University--Rosedale have given everyone much to consider about the shift from minority to majority Parliament and the anticipated and rumoured fallout to come. In our 343-seat national legislature -- unless there are additional floor-crossing MPs on the horizon -- having a two-seat majority is still very unstable. Health challenges...
A slave labour apologist, chloroquine promoter and blue Albertan all walk into a bar … Only it’s not a joke, and they didn’t walk into a bar. Michael Ma, Marilyn Gladu and Matt Jereroux are three former Conservative MPs who have walked into the Liberal caucus, where they found a Red Tory, Chris d’Entremont, already tickling the party ivories...
Seeking to explain just where the Liberals draw the line on accepting members of other parties into their midst, House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the party would “keep a light on and a door open for all of those who want to support Liberal Party principles,” which he described as “immutable.” And of course, he’s right. Liberal policies may come...
How much more Liberal raiding and spending and winning can Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre survive? Maybe very little. Three byelection losses Monday night are a further humiliation. Prime Minister Mark Carney took quick advantage.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet stepped out to meet reporters and take his by-election defeat on the chin. “We have to take it with humility. And we have to take it with patience,” Mr. Blanchet said. There’s a wave, he said – arguing that past Conservative and New Democrat voters moved to the Liberals – that seems even stronger now...
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney won three byelections Monday night, giving him a majority government and a free hand to further remake the government he inherited from Justin Trudeau.
Officially, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is outraged. “The Carney Liberals did not win a majority government through a general election or today’s by-elections,” Mr. Poilievre posted on X Monday night, as the results erasing his leverage in the House of Commons rolled in. The Liberals swept all three by-elections, less than a week after they seduced the unlikeliest of floor-crossers...
Lewis calls for 'fundamental structural changes' during first Ottawa visit on the job. While standing outside the House of Commons, Avi Lewis recalled that it has been five decades since his grandfather — former federal NDP leader David Lewis — stood inside the chamber to advocate for the Canadian left. After David, there was Avi's father, Stephen Lewis, a former...
After more than a decade of involvement, Canada’s special forces are dropping out of a U.S.-sponsored military exercise in Africa, with Ottawa saying it needs to reconsider where to deploy its resources. The decision to stop participating in the annual Flintlock exercise, a key Pentagon priority in Africa, could be a sign that the Department of National Defence is stretched...
The new official languages watchdog says Canada needs a governor-general who is fully bilingual in English and French, given the strong, symbolic role of the office, which involves a mix of ceremonial, constitutional and other duties. Official Languages Commissioner Kelly Burke says Prime Minister Mark Carney must follow through on his recent commitment to recommend the appointment of a governor-general...
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) employees who came forward as part of an external study investigating mental health at the spy agency described a sometimes isolating and bleak environment "laden with stigma." One participant told researchers the "service has a fear of mental illness." Those comments are included in a first-of-its-kind research project commissioned by CSIS and published earlier this...
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says Ottawa has hinted that it wants liquified natural gas shipping out of Churchill by 2030 or federal support for an expansion of a port in the community could be off the table. Kinew met with Prime Minister Mark Carney this week in Ottawa to discuss, among other things, a plan to expand the Port of...
'Sometimes I find Canadians don’t actually realize how good they have it,' said IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department head. The International Monetary Fund lauded Canada’s fiscal position relative to its peers as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares to give an update on his government’s finances. “Across the Group of Seven, Canada’s probably in the strongest position fiscally,” Nigel Chalk, director of...
Ontario taxpayers are footing the bill for a $29-million private jet for Premier Doug Ford's use, a purchase opposition leaders say is a waste of money. The premier's office said the province purchased a used 2016 Bombardier Challenger 650 jet for $28.9 million. It will operate out of Toronto's Pearson International Airport. "As part of the job of being premier...
The government department responsible for replacing the public service’s problem-plagued Phoenix pay system is defending its decision to shorten the timeline for bringing a new pay system online by three years, despite concerns raised by a recent report from Canada’s auditor general. Dayforce, the government’s replacement for the much-maligned Phoenix pay system, is expected to cost at least $4.2-billion, and...
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick attacked Canada's trade strategy today, adding, "They suck." Lutnick was responding to a report in the Financial Post quoting Canada's former chief trade negotiator Steve Verheul saying time is on Canada's side in trade talks because the pressures on the U.S. will only increase. Lutnick said that is "the worst strategy" and the U.S. is...
Quebec's new premier said she was "relieved" following her first meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa, after earlier promising to fight "tooth and nail" to protect the right of governments to pass laws that override the Charter. Christine Frechette said the overriding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms must not be touched. Quebec has made...
The Conservative line of attack is questionable or inaccurate in several respects.
Canada ordered 88 F-35s in 2023, but began reassessing its options after Trump took office. Senior executives from Lockheed Martin will be in Quebec on Tuesday to confirm that they plan to service Canada's F-35 aircraft at the L3Harris facilities in Mirabel, which are currently used to maintain Canada's CF-18 fleet. The announcement will be their first major outing on...
Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday announced a new "Canada Investment Summit" that will invite investors, CEOs and business leaders to Toronto this fall. In a media release, the Prime Minister's Office said the goal of the summit is to pull in $1 trillion in investment over the next five years to advance nation-building projects. The summit comes after a...
Almost two months ago, Pierre Poilievre seemed to have rounded a corner. The "attack dog" politician became, or so it seemed, the friendly one, talking about respect and a time for unity. Well those days are gone, long gone, after a week where the old Poilievre seemed back in full force. Bruce and Chantal are back with their assessments of...
Prime Minister Mark Carney told world leaders today Canada welcomes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The Prime Minister's Office says Carney took part virtually in a meeting with dozens of world leaders to talk about securing the strait.
The federal Liberals' one-time payment that aims to help families struggling with the high cost of living will land on June 5. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in January that Ottawa would issue a direct payment worth 50 per cent of the full-year value of the government's existing GST/HST credit, which will now be called the Canada Groceries and Essentials...
Canada’s Conservative Party is casting doubt on the legitimacy of Mark Carney’s majority government, complaining it was formed through “backroom deals” and not at the ballot box. Carney’s governing Liberals secured a majority in an unprecedented way — not by holding a general election, but rather by combining a steady drip of Conservative lawmaker defections with a sweep of three...
Ever since Donald Trump returned to power and began to make threats against traditional US allies, officials in Canada’s capital have been figuring out what the country’s vulnerabilities are. Here’s another one: the internet. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is now conducting a review of the country’s international communications infrastructure, according to a person familiar with the matter, speaking on...
Strait will remain completely open for rest of ceasefire, Iran's foreign minister says. Iran's foreign minister announced Friday that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is completely open following a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon yesterday, but President Donald Trump said the U.S. naval blockade on Iran will remain in place until a deal with Tehran...
"Canada is cool again." PM Carney convenes the biggest investors in the world to an Invest in Canada Summit. CBC News has learned Prime Minister Mark Carney has invited 100 of the world's biggest investors to a summit in Toronto this September. The conference aims to pitch organizations that control trillions of dollars in capital on investing in Canada. The...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says a new Liberal majority government means Prime Minister Mark Carney no longer has any excuse for failing to deliver on his economic promises. Poilievre spoke to a business crowd at the Canadian Club Toronto on Thursday to lay out his vision for Canada's economy. He spent much of his time at the podium attacking Carney's...
The Canadian government says it has extended its bidding process to pick a submarine builder so the two entrants vying for the prize – among the largest defence contracts in this country’s history – can sweeten their bids. It’s an acknowledgment that Ottawa wasn’t satisfied with the economic and industrial benefits promised in the bids, submitted ahead of a March...
Quebec's new premier promised to fight "tooth and nail" to defend the use of the notwithstanding clause as she met with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on Friday. Christine Frechette said the clause, which allows governments to override sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, must not be touched. "It's an important tool for Quebec, for our...
After years of talk about shedding office space, the federal government will need more work stations in some locations with public servants headed back to the office four days a week in July, according to an analysis by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The department responsible for managing government buildings is looking to quickly find solutions, which could include...
Legal experts worry Charter facing a 'slow death' with frequent invocation of notwithstanding clause Canada's Justice Minister Sean Fraser says he has significant concerns with the way the provinces are overriding Charter rights by invoking the notwithstanding clause, and he's prepared to establish guardrails around its use as the document turns 44. Fraser made the comments to CBC News during...
he opening date of the new bridge linking Canada and the U.S. is being quietly negotiated to let the criticism around it die down, according to an American source familiar with talks. The source tells CTV News both sides are trying not to do anything that would “trigger the kooks and crackpots” around U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened...
Canada Post has announced 136,000 addresses in 13 communities will no longer receive door-to-door delivery, and instead get their mail through community mailboxes. The changes are part of the Crown corporation's restructuring efforts, an attempt to save money and stay financially viable under crushing debt. The majority of the new community mailboxes will be installed in B.C. and Ontario. Ottawa...
OTTAWA -- An internal federal government audit delivered late last year warned the work of buying and upgrading military technology was still being plagued by bureaucratic hurdles.
Liberals MPs are among those throwing their support behind former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains, who is considering a run for leader of the Ontario Liberals – a move that could shake up the provincial political landscape. Several federal and provincial Liberals told The Globe and Mail that they are encouraging Mr. Bains to seek the leadership and that he...
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- In the wide-open race for California governor, billionaire Tom Steyer is on a spending binge.
Former President Barack Obama met with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a child care center where they read to preschoolers and led a singalong.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- The only thing standing between President Donald Trump and his revenge on Indiana state senators are people like Julie Wise.
A new Kansas law will allow college students to sue their schools for free-speech violations. In Tennessee, a new law will encourage teachers and professors to include "the positive impacts of religion" in American history courses.
The strait will not be fully reopened “until America allows full freedom of navigation for vessels traveling from Iran,” Iranian military officials indicated. Iranian military officials said Saturday that conditions in the Strait of Hormuz have reverted to "strict control," citing the continued U.S. blockade of its ports, just one day after declaring the waterway “completely open.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney told world leaders today Canada welcomes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The Prime Minister's Office says Carney took part virtually in a meeting with dozens of world leaders to talk about securing the strait.
Strait will remain completely open for rest of ceasefire, Iran's foreign minister says. Iran's foreign minister announced Friday that passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is completely open following a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon yesterday, but President Donald Trump said the U.S. naval blockade on Iran will remain in place until a deal with Tehran...
Canada’s finance minister plans to discuss Anthropic PBC’s Mythos model when he meets with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent this week.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb says he’s “the most pro-American president in Europe,” despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s persistent criticisms of Western allies and global trade system disruption. Stubb made the comments in an interview on CTV Question Period while he was in Ottawa for the first visit to Canada by a Finnish president in 12 years. In the interview, which...
Canada needs to make workforce upskilling a central pillar to the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy. The global economy is entering an AI accelerating phase. Countries that have relatively large knowledge economy sectors, like Canada, face higher exposure to AI-driven change. Budget 2025 focused on AI infrastructure investments. Budget 2026 must expand the focus to AI workforce upskilling. AI is...
A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.
I nearly drove off the road when I heard Pope Leo’s powerful message on the radio this week.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office wants to bust up a monopoly. I think I’m the target. Let me explain. The Privy Council Office (PCO), home of the prime minister and cabinet, has been flooded with complaints about its failures to comply with the Access to Information Act.
Canadian troops may be only days away from deploying to the Middle East to aid the U.S.’s and Israel’s war on Iran. The latest indication is a joint statement expressing concern about Iran’s restriction of oil tankers through the narrow Strait of Hormuz signed by Prime Minister Mark Carney and NATO allies late in the week.
Almost two months ago, Pierre Poilievre seemed to have rounded a corner. The "attack dog" politician became, or so it seemed, the friendly one, talking about respect and a time for unity. Well those days are gone, long gone, after a week where the old Poilievre seemed back in full force. Bruce and Chantal are back with their assessments of...
After weeks of war in the Middle East, the Strait of Hormuz is now open — and ceasefires in Lebanon and Iran continue to hold strong. So is an end to the war in sight? Host Catherine Cullen asks Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand if she believes the ceasefires will last and if Canada is considering helping efforts to open...
On a Liberal majority. CPC loser energy. And more about our collapsed political immune system, at every level.
Sheila Copps joins The Hot Room to talk about the new Liberal majority government, questions about its legitimacy, and how it could change the dynamic on the Hill for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives.
